Everything about Castella totally explained
Castella or
Kasutera (
Japanese: カステラ) is a popular
Japanese sponge cake made of
sugar,
flour,
eggs, and
starch syrup, very common at
festivals and as a
street food.
Now a specialty of
Nagasaki, the cake was brought by way of
Portuguese merchants in the
16th century. The name is derived from
Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning "bread from
Castile". Castella cake is usually sold in long boxes, with the cake inside being approximately 27cm long. It is somewhat similar to
Madeira cake, also associated with Portugal, but its closest relative is
pão-de-ló, also a portuguese cake.
Note that there are similar types of sponge cakes named after the same fashion, in
French: Pain d'Espagne, in
Italian: Pan di Spagna, in
Greek: Pantespani (
Castile is a former kingdom of
Spain comprising its central provinces, thus
Pain d'Espagne and other variants are quasi synonymous to "bread from Castile").
History
In the
16th century, the
Portuguese reached Japan, and soon started trade and missionary work.
Nagasaki was the Japanese port open for foreign commerce. The Portuguese introduced many then-unusual things, such as
guns,
tobacco, and
pumpkins - and castella. It was able to be preserved for a long period of time, and so was useful for the sailors who were out on the sea for months. In the
Edo Period, in part due to the cost of sugar, it was a precious food, and was served to envoys from
Korea. Over the years, the taste changed to suit Japanese palates.
Varieties
Castella is made of natural ingredients, so its simple taste is a favorite of many
Japanese people. There are now many varieties made with ingredients such as
powdered green tea,
brown sugar, and
honey. They may be molded in various shapes; a popular
Japanese festival food is
baby castella, a bite-sized version.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Castella'.
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